Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 7l7,22l. Patented Dec. 30, I902.

G. E. LA CELL.

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

{Application filed Sept. 2, 1902: (No Model.) 2 SlIee'ts-Sheet I.

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a. E. LAGELL;

ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

{Applicatibn filed Sept. 2, 1902.: I (No Model.) 2 Sheeis- Sheet 2.

BYMA.

' A TTORNEYS UNITED= STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE E. LA CELL, OF LAKOTA, NORTH DAKOTA.

ACETY'LEN E-GAS' e EN ERATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,221, dated December30, 1902.

Application filed September 2, 1902. $erial No. 121,819. (No model.)

To all whom, it m/cty concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. LA CELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at La kota, in the county of Nelson and Stateof North Dakota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-GasMachines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for the generation ofacetylene gas automatically and with safety, so that ,gas cannot escapethrough the ignorance or carelessness of attendants, nor can theapparatus be wrecked by explosion at or subsequent to the operation ofrecharging the generator.

One object that I have in view is the provision of an improved generatorof that type wherein the carbid is contained in isolated charges, suchgenerator making provision for the effectual and individual sealing andisolating of the carbid charges, to the end that the charges held inreserve shall not become affected by the moisture arising from the waterwhich is engaged in decomposing the active charge or-in saturating thespent charge or charges. The generator is removable bodily and in asealed condition from its tank, so that it, may be carried out of doors,emptied, cleaned, and recharged without permitting the escape of odorinto the room.

A further object is to automatically cut oii the supply of water on theremoval of the generator and to restore the water-feed devices to anactive condition on replacement of the carbid-container.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in thecourseof the subjoined description, and the actual scope of theinvention will be defined by the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation through a gas-generatingmachine, the plane of the section through the generator being indicatedby the dotted line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional planview on the plane of the dotted line2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlargedinvert-ed plan View of the cover for the carbid-container. Fig. 4 is anenlarged plan view of the carbid-container forming a part of thegenerator, the cover being removed. Fig. 5 is a detail view of thegas-outlet valve, one of which is provided for each cell. or compartmentof the carbid-holder. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a carbid charge and itsabsorbent jacket or wrapper, one of said charges being adapted forinsertion into each cell of the carbid-container.

The generator, which is shown by Figs. 1 and 2, consists of a tank 5 anda bell 6, the latter arranged to extend into the compartment '7 of thetank and to be immersed in the water which forms a seal insaidcompartment. The tank 5 is provided with an imperforate false bottom 8,havingthe upstanding rest 9, said false bottom serving to divide thetank into a seal-chamber 7 and the subchamber 7 The bell 6 is removableeasily from the tank in order that the carbid-holder may be withdrawnbodily from said tank and be placed in like manner therein. Thiscarbidholder, which is shown more clearly by Figs. 2, 3, and 4, consistsof a receptacle 10,'which is provided with an imperforate bottom 11 andwith a central tube 12, the latter opening through the bottom andterminating flush with the top edge of the receptacle. Between theannular wall or shell of the receptacle and the central tube 12 isarranged a number of tubular containers 13, which form the cells orpockets of the carbid-holder. These cells are disposed in annular serieswithin the carbid-holder, and each cell is closed at its bottom and openat its top. In the drawings I have shown a series of seven cells withinthe carbid-holder; but it is evident that the number is immaterial andmaybe varied at pleasure.

The receptacle and the carbid-cells therein are adapted to be closed bya cover 14, having a series of depending tubes 15, said tubescorresponding in number tothe cells and adapted to telescope over thetubular containers-13. The cover 14 is shaped as shown more clearly byFig. 3, so as to fit snugly to the receptacle and to enable the tubes 15to inclose or surround the tubular containers 13; but this cover is openat its middle in order to expose the central tube 12 and to leavecertain openings or spaces between the cells and the carbid-holder.

ICO

One of the peculiarfeatures of my invention consists in providing aseries of waterinlets to the cells of the carbid-holder, saidwater-inlets being disposed in operative relation to the individualcells and arranged to admit the attacking fluid successively to saidcells. Each tubular container is provided at its lower portion with aninlet-port 16, and Within the container is a water tube or flue 17. Thetubes or flues in the series of cells 13 are of different heights, andbeginning with one container of the series the tubes or flues i ncreasein length progressively th roughout the series, so that the longest tubewill be in the last cell of the series. This arrange ment of the tubesis indicated particularly by Fig. 1, wherein the cell on the right isprovided with a comparatively short tube, while the cell on the left isequipped with a tube or flue that extends nearly to the upper edge ofthe container 13.

The cover 14 of the carbid-holder is provided with gas-outlet ports 18,which are adapted to communicate with the chambers of the cells orcontainers 13, thus providing for the escape of the gas under pressurefrom the cell which may be in service. Each port 18 is adapted to beclosed by means of a Valve 19, (see Figs. 1 and 5,) and this valve isheld in operative position relative to the port by means of a suitablecage 20, that is fastened to the cover-14.

The carbid-holder is adapted to he slipped into place within the chamber7, so as to be supported by the rest 9 of the false bottom 8, and duringthe service of the generator water in regulated volumes is adapted to besupplied by automatic mechanism to the receptacle 10 of thecarbid-holder. The water radually increases in this receptacle until itpasses through the port 16 and the tube or fine 17 of one cell of theseries, whereby the water is adapted to attack the carbid contained inone cell, and this cell will remain in service as long as the carbid isactive or unspent. After the first cell becomes exhausted the watercontinues to accumulate in the receptacle 10 until the level thereofoverflows the second tube or flue of the series, and thus the carbid inthe second cell of the series is exposed to the action of the water,whereby the second cell is automatically brought into service and gas issupplied by the generator to the expansible gas-holder. This operationis continued throughout the series of cells in the generator, and by thetime that the last cell is subjected to the action of the water anaudible alarm mechanism is automatically brought into service to notifythe owner of the plant that the generator requires renewal. When thecarbid in all the cells is exhausted, the water fills the carbid-holderand the latter is closed against the escape of gas during the removal ofsaid holder and its cover from the generator. The

carbid-holder may be removed bodily and in a sealed condition from thetank of the generator, so that said carbid-holder may be carried out ofdoors without permitting the 0ffensive odor or gas to escape into theroom or apartment in which the apparatus is situated. The cover 14 andthe tubes 15 of the carbid-holder may be removed from the receptacle andthe cells thereof. I prefer to place the carbid chargesin sacks orwrappers of any suitable materialsuch, for example, as cloth or fabric.One of said sacks or wrappers, with a carbid charge, is indicated at 18in Fig. 6. This material allows the attacking liquid to saturate theWrapper and have access to the active material, and the advantage ofsaid wrapper is that the carbid charge when exhausted maybe removedeasily and quickly from the cell or compartment of the carbid-holder.When the carbid-holder is removed from the generator, it may be cleanedand dried before receiving the charges of fresh active material, and therecharged holder can easily be placed back into the tank of thegenerator.

The expansible gas-holder which I employ is similar in its generalfeatures to apparatus ordinary in the art, in that it consists of a tank21. and a bell 22, adapted to telescope within the seal-chamber 23 ofsaid tank. A false bottom 24 divides the tank 21 into the seal-chamber23, just referred to, and the drip-chamber 25, into which drip-chamberis adapted to extend a number of pipes for the purpose of dischargingthe water of condensation which may accumulate in said pipes. Thisdrip-chamber is provided with an overflow or trap 26 to automaticallydischarge the surplus water from said chamber and to maintain the waterat a certain level therein.

Within the seal-chamber 23 of the gasholder tank is the verticalcondenser and filter 27, the latter being attached to the false bottom24 and extending above the seal in the chamber 23. In its upper partthis condenser 27 is provided with the partitions or screens 28, adaptedto confine between themselves a suitable charge of filtering material,as at 28 in Fig. 1, whereby the gas as it passes through the condenserwill impinge the cold surfaces thereof, so as to condense the aqueousvapors in the gas and make the latter emerge in a cool and filteredcondition from the upper end of the condenser. The gas passes from thegenerator to the gas-holder by means of a pipe 29, the same extendingthrough the central tube 12 of the carbid-holder, the false bottom 8 andthe subchamber 7 of the generator 10, the drip-chamber 25 of thegas-holder tank, and thence into the lower part of the condenser 27.This connecting-pipe 29 is pro-- vided with a drip-foot 30, whichextends into the seal of the drip-chamber 25, so that provision is madefor the escape of the water of condensation from the gas-pipe 29, and atthe same time this pipe is sealed in the drip-chainher in a manner tocause the gas to pass from said pipe into the condenser and filter.

The service-pipe 31 is connected in any suit- IOU able way with the mainadapted to distribute the gas to the burners, and'this service-pipe hasa short branch 32, which extends into the drip-chamber above the levelof the seal therein. This branch 32 is connected to a vertical branch33, which extends through the seal in the chamber 23 and is providedwith a foot 34, adapted to extend into the seal of the chamber 25. Thetelescopic bell 22 of the gas-holder tank is provided with a tube 35,which incloses the vertical branch 33 of the service-pipe 31, and thistelescopic tube 35 is provided at its upper part with the gas-ports 36,whereby the highest and driest gas within the bell 22 of the gas-holdermay pass through the ports 36, a part of the pipe 35, and the verticalbranch 33 of the service-pipe, so that the cool and dry gas may be drawnfrom the gas-holder for supply to the burners.

As is usual, my apparatus is equipped with a vent or blow-off deviceconsisting of the pipe 37 and the telescopic tube 38, the former beingsecured to the false bottom 24 and the latter to the bell 22. The saidtelescopic tube is provided at its lower end with the ports 39, which onthe elevation of the bell 22 to a point sufficient to expose the ports39 will permit the gas to pass from the gas-holder into the pipe 37,thence through the drip-chamber 25 to an off-bearing pipe 40, the latterbeing attached to the gas-holder tank 21 to communicate with thedrip-chamber 25 above the level of the seal therein. Said off-bearing orescape pipe 40 may be carried in any suitable way to the outside of thebuilding.

The tank 21 of the gas-holder is preferably provided at its upper partwith a filling-lip 41, by which the supply of water in the sealchamber23 may be replenished at any time.

The water is supplied automatically from the gas-holder tank to thecarbid holder within the generator, and I employ a waterpipe 42, whichextends through the seal-chamber 23, the dripchamber 25, the subchamber7, and the tube 12 of the carbid-holder. The intake end of thewater-tube 42 extends above the level of the seal in the cham-.

ber23, and the discharge end of this pipe 42 is equipped with a nozzle43, the latter being pivotally coupled, as at 44, to said end of thepipe 42, whereby the nozzle may be adjusted is withdrawn from the tankof the generator,

the tube 12 is adapted to throw or adjust the nozzle 43 to the inclinedposition indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thus preventing thefurther discharge of water from the pipe 42. On the replacement of thecarbid-holder within the generator the nozzle 43 is automaticallyadjusted to its operative position by the carbid-holder engaging with anadj ustingbar 45, which is connected with the nozzle by a chain or cable46. This adjusting-bar 45 is thus loosely suspended from the pivotednozzle, so that it may rise and fall therewith, and when thecarbidholder is replaced within the generator the receptacle 10 of saidcarbid-holder is adapted to engage with the bar and to force thelatter'upon the rest 9, whereby the depression of the bar 45 will pulldown the nozzle 43 positively to its operative position.

The tank 5 of the generator is provided with an upstanding arm 47, withwhich is adapted to engage the free end of a lockingbar 48, the latterbeing pivotally connected, as at 49, to the tank 21 of the gas-holder.This locking-bar is adapted to be adjusted across the bell 7 of thegenerator after the said bell shall have been placed in position toclose the generator, and said bar 48 is equipped with a lock 50 of anysuitable character, thus preventing unwarranted access to the generatorduring the service of the apparatus.

The water-pipe 42 between the gas-holder and the carbid-holder of thegenerator is provided at a point between the gas-holder and thegenerator with a two-way valve 51, while the connecting-pipe 29 betweenthe generator and the gas-holder is provided with a three-way valve 52,that is situated adjacent to said two-way valve 51 in the waterpipe 42.The locking bar 48 for the generator is equipped with means adapted tosimultaneously adjust these valves 51 52, and this means consists of anarm 53 on said pivoted locking-bar, a rod 54, and a link 55, said rod 54being pivoted to the arm 53 and to the link 55. This link 55 hasoperative connection with the valves 51 52, and the three-Way gas valve52 is provided with a branch connection 56, thelatter havingcommunication with the escape-pipe 40. When the parts of'the generatoroccupy the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1, the locking-bar 48 isconfined by the lock 50 in its operative position across the bell of thegenerator-tank and the rod 54 and the link 55 are forced to theirlowered positions, thereby opening the valve 51 in the water-pipe 42 andadjusting the gas-valve 52, so as to cut off communication through theescape-pipe 40 and to establish communication through the pipe 29, so asto permit the gas to pass from the generator into the condenser 27 ofthe gas-holder. Previous to opening the generator and withdrawing thecarbid-holder it is necessary to lift the bar 48 to the dotted-lineposition indicated by Fig. 1, and this operation raises the rod 44 andthe link 55, whereupon the valve 51 is closed to cut off the furtherpassage of water from the gas-holder to the nozzle '43, which dischargesto the generator, and at the same time the three-way gas-valve 52 isadjusted to open communication between the escape- ICC pipe 40 and thatlength of the gas-pipe 29 which leads into the generator, the otherlength of the gas-pipe 29, that extends to the condenser 27, and therebyhas communication with the gas-holder, being closed, so that no gas canescape from the gas-holder into the pipe 40.

The water is automatically admitted to the pipe 42 on the descent of thebell in the gasholder, and this end is obtained by the provision of thedevices shown more clearly by Fig. 1. A flexible tube or hose 57isarranged to have communication with the pipe 42 by a T-coupling 58,situated at a point below the level of the seal in the chamber 23 andattached to the pipe 42. This hose or tube has a pivoted rod 59 attachedthereto, and this rod and the hose are sustained above the level of thewater in the chamber 23 by afloat 60. A tappet-arm 61 is attached to theventtube 38 and is arranged to ride against the pivoted rod or arm 59,whereby on the descent of the bell 22 the tube 61 depresses the pivotedarm 59 and the hose 57, so as to overcome the buoyancy of the float 60and force the end of the hose 57 into the water, thus permitting thewater to flow through the hose 57 and the pipe 42, so as to bedischarged by the nozzle 43 into the receptacle of the care bid-holder.A further increment of gas raises the bell 22 and the tube 38, so as towithdraw the tappet 61 and allow the float 60 to raise the end of thehose 57 above the seal in said chamber 23.

The signal mechanism for automatically indicating the exhaustion of thecarbid-holder, forming a part of the generator, contemplates theemployment of a tube 62, which extends through the subchamber 7 and intothe central tube 12 of the carbid-holder, said tube 62 also passing tothe outside of the generatortank 5 and having an upstanding branch,which forms a trap 63. The tube and its trap are designed to be filledwith liquid up to a certain level, the height of the level of the waterin the trap 63 being determined by a gage or drip-cock 64. The pipe 62,which extends into the tube 12 of the carbid-holder, is provided With arestricted inlet 65, adapted to extend into the receptacle 10 at a pointjust below the overflow end of the highest tube or flue 17 in the seriesomployed in connection with the seals 13 of the carbid-holder. In theouter exposed end of the trap 63 of the indicator-tube 62 is arranged afloatable circuitcloser 66, having a suitable metallic contactplate,(not shown,) adapted to close an electric circuit, which is formed bythe conductor 67 and which includes any suitable signal mechanism 68,adapted to be energized by a local battery 69. (See Fig. 1.)

After the generator shall have been in service for a length of timenecessary to exhaust the carbid charges in all the cells but the lastone and just before the Water passes from the highest tube or flue 17into the last cell of the series the water will slowly pass from thereceptacle 10 into the restricted mouth of the tube 62. By the time thatthe water has reached the last carbid charge in the last cell the Waterrises in the trap-63 sufficiently to elevate the circuit-closer 66, andthereby close the signal, because the last generator will rev main inservice for some time after the signal has been given.

The receptacle 10 of the carbid-holder is provided with suitable handles70, and the cover 14 of said carbid -holder is provided with a bail 71,whereby the receptacle and its cover may be conveniently handled.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. In an acetylene-gas generator, a carbidcontainercomprising cells having inlets arranged at different levels to admit anattacking fluid successively to carbid charges in said cells, a coverprovided with a series of tubes corresponding to the cells andindividually inclosing the latter, gasports in said cover to communicateseparately with the cells, and valves normally closing the ports andopened automatically by gas-pressure from the cells.

2. An acetylene-gas generator comprisinga tank and a two-partcarbid-container insertible and removable bodily into and from saidtank, one part of said container being a receptacle having a series ofindividual cells each provided with a water-inlet, and the other part ofthe container being a cover provided with a series of tubes and with aseries of automatic valves,each tube being arranged to inclose one ofthe cells and each valve controlling the egress of gas under pressurefrom one cell.

3. An acetylene gas generator provided with a removable carbid-holder,the same comprising a receptacle having a central tube and a series ofseparate containers forming a series of isolated cells or pockets, aseries of tubes of graduated lengths disposed Within the cells orpockets successively, and arranged to communicate with the ports andwith the chambers of the cells, and a cover removably fitted to thereceptacle, and having tubes arranged to inclose the containers formingthe cells or pockets.

4. An acetylenegas generator provided with a removable carbid-container,the same comprising a receptacle having a series ofseparate cells orpockets, and a cover having tubes arranged to inclose the cells orpockets, said cover also provided with ports having communicationindividually with the cells or pockets, and adapted to be closed byautomatic valves which are normally confined in operative relation tosaid ports by suitable restraining devices.

IIO

an expansible gas-holder, of a water-supply.

tube connected to the generator and arranged to be supplied with waterfrom the gas-holder, a float within said gas-holder, a hose or pipeconnected with said water-tube and normally sustained by the float in araised position above the water-level in the gas-holder, and meansactuated by a movable member of the gas-holder to positively depress thehose or tube against the buoyancy of the float.

8. The combination with a generator having a series of carbid-containersadapted to be successively brought into service, of an indicator-tubeprovided with a restricted waterinlet disposed in a position to admitwater thereto simultaneously with its admission to the lastcarbid-container of the series, and a signal mechanism having acircuit-closer disposed in a position to be influenced bytheaccumulation of water in the signal-tube.

9. The combination with a generator and an expansible gas-holder, of awater-supply tube having a branch disposed within said gas-holder, ahose or pipe connected with said Water-supply branch or pipe, 3. pivotedrod connected with said hose, a float adapted to sustain the rod and thehose in a raised position, and a tappet actuated by the rise and fall ofthe gas-holder bell and adapted to ride upon said pivoted rod.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. LA CELL.

Witnesses:

' P. S. DUNHAM, F. B. WARE.

